If I had to pick my family's favorite rainy day activity, I'd have to say it's reading. We all love books, whether we're reading alone, together, or out loud. But every once in a while, it's nice to sit back and listen to someone spin a yarn. Thankfully, there are some great storytelling programs on the calendar this week. Going to see a storyteller perform in Faneuil Hall is a great excuse to check out the nearby public market that opened in the Haymarket this summer. If you prefer to get the whole family moving, a family-friendly dance party on the Greenway offers free lessons and live music starting on Wednesday. What fun!

Whatever you decide to do this week, don't forget to check the full Event Calendar for other exciting happenings.

With public schools closed for Rosh Hashanah on Monday and Tuesday, you and the kids might be looking for a few more things to do, so we've added extra options for cool family activities happening this long weekend. Whether you're looking for one last blast of summer or ready to jump into fall, we've got you covered with the best activities and destinations for families every single day.

Our weekday event picks for Monday, September 14-Friday, September 18, include the debut of the Children's Museum of the Arts' latest exhibit, a guided nature tour on Randall's Island and an alfresco film screening. Of course, you can find lots of other ideas in our jam-packed Event Calendar. Enjoy those extra days off and for everyone celebrating the Jewish New Year, Shanah Tovah!

Happy New Year to all our readers celebrating Rosh Hashanah. May the coming year be filled with love, friendship, and joy! This week we've collected all kinds of activities including a terrific program at the Stamford Museum and Nature Center for anyone who is home from school on Monday. We've also tracked down a free Zumba class, an agricultural fair, and more. Be sure to check the full Event Calendar for more fun things to do!

What's the first thing my family does to prepare for Halloween season? No, not make costumes or crafts or plan out our calendar. Our very first activity is to throw out all the stale candy my daughter has been hanging on to since last October 31.

Whatever you do with your child's Halloween haul—donate, repurpose, hoard or eat—there's no question that trick-or-treaters collect way too much candy. And while I'm glad my kid doesn't actually ingest it all, many children do, and the health implications of that are pretty scary.

So this year I'm not going to be part of the candy craze. Instead, I plan to give out small, fun, non-edible treats, like the kinds of tchotchkes you might find in a birthday goody bag. (So if you have any of those lying around the house, start gathering them up now.) Yes, I realize these things may end up sitting around as long as last year's candy, but since they don't go bad I can always hand them out again next Halloween.

Here are some cool things to hand out on Halloween besides candy that won't get you egged.

After Halloween last year, I was astonished at the amount of candy my kids got, especially when I counted up the total calories. It really made me think twice and we ended up taking five pounds of candy and selling it to the dentist the week after Halloween. This year we found a healthier alternative to giving away candy for Halloween and it seems like there are lots of people feeling the same way because I keep reading about all kinds of things to do with your leftover Halloween candy besides eat it, from donating it to soldiers to using it to make a gingerbread house. Read on for some of the best ideas of what to do with all that leftover Halloween candy.